Detonating mechanism for time fuses



June 3 M. R. THOMSON DETONATING MECHANISM FOR TIME FUSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1949 FIG.

INVENTOR.

MILLARD R. THOMSON ATTORNEY f Jline 9 M. R. THOMSON 2,640,418

DETONATING MECHANISM FOR TIME FUSES Filed Dec. 21, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .mmma...,,....,,,,,,...,,,

INVENTOR.

MILLARD R. 'rnousou BY ATTORNEY Patented June 2, 1953 DETONATING MECHANISM FOR TIME SES Millard It. Thomson, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa.

Application December 21, 1949, Serial No. 134,205

This invention relates to a detonating mechanism for time fuses, particularly the mechanical type which may be set to fire after an interval of from .1 to 100% of a time range determined by the construction of the power supply and regulatory elements of a fuse.

The object of the invention is to provide a mechanical mechanism which may be quickly and accurately set and readily reset and which will provide a means for releasing the striker pin after a predetermined interval.

2 Claims. (01. 102-84) A further object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical mechanism which will operate from an ordinary clock movement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide, a rotating means incorporating a spiral groove operating off the arbor of the mainspring and a follower for said spiral groove which will release the detonating pin'after a predetermined interval.

A further object of the present invention is to provide settings equally safe against impact over theentire setting range. e

i A further object of the presentinvention is to provide mechanical means for releasing a detonating pin which will operate from temperatures ranging to 65 below zero to 160 above zero, Fahrenheit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the spirally grooved plate and the lever for holding the striker pin together with the spiral groove follower.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device with the top plates broken away.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the spiral groove follower, showing the pivotal mounting of said follower.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the same follower.

Referring particularly to Figure 3 the drum 8 serves either as a mainspring barrel or as a housing for a separate mainspring barrel 4| and will be called barrel housing, supports in an upper restricted well 9 a bearing H). In this bearing is journalled a sleeve II which serves as the arbor of the mainspring and to which the mainspring [2 is connected. Means i3 is secured to the bottom of the sleeve for connection to a clockwork mechanism to serve as an escapement and regulator for the unwinding of the mainspring and to serve as a pivot running in a plain bearing. This clockwork mechanism is not shown and it forms no part of the invention except to provide the necessary control for the rotation of the mainspring. It is, however, conventional and, as such mechanisms are well known, not here shown.

The upper portion of the barrel housing 8 is narrowed at it and provided with a bearing ring I5 which is held in place by set screws [6. .A collar-like release housing I! fits snugly against this ring and is secured to the ring by the same set screws it. An upper plate I8 is secured to said collar I? by screw I9 and two steady pins.

The hollow interior of the collar ll houses a plate 28 which is formed with a deep spiral groove 2! in its top surface. The plate 20 is fixed on the upper end of the sleeve i I at 22 and held securely to said sleeve, rotating therewith.

The upper plate [8 is formed with a central hole 23 forming a seat for a sleeve 24 which houses the striker pin 25. A bushing 26, closes the end .of said sleeve 2 journalling the end of the pin 25 and serving as a seat for the spring 21. The upper end of the spring 21 bears against the base of the conical shaped head 28 of the striker pin. The plate i8 has secured thereto and spaced therefrom a second plate 29. Pivoted between the plates is a U-shaped lever 30 which has a pivot pin 3! mounted in the plates l8 and 29 respectively. The inward side adjacent one end of the lever 33 is beveled at 32 and bears against the conical surface 28 of the striker pin, holding it in a retracted position. The inside surface adjacent the other end bears against an upstanding pin 33 which prevents the lever from turning about the pivot pin 3|.

A post 3c is mounted for rotation in the collar I! and the plate l8 and is provided with a longitudinal slot 35 between whose walls a lever 36 swings on the pivot 40. This post is freely rotatable in its mountings and permits the lever 35 to be rotated so that the pin 31 carried at the end of said lever may be positioned at any desired point in the spiralled groove. Collar I! is cut away at A2 and plate l8 slotted at 39 in such a manner that lever 36 can swing freely downward.

The operation of the mechanism may be briefly described by referring to Figures 1 and 4. The mechanism is loaded and the lever 36 positioned in the spiral groove by rotating the collar yet positive pressure between pin 37 and plate 20 due to the high lever ratios.

Arm 36 follows the groove 2| until outlet 39 arrives. The arm swings down to the dotted position indicated in Figure 4. A small amount of the spring energy is required to .move the retaining pawl and lever but the remainder'is given to the striker then to be delivered to the percussion cap.

What is claimed is: 1. A time fuse detonating mechanism comprising a cylindrical body portion having a re-.

stric'ted upper annular flange, a bearing mounted in said upper flange, a hollow cylindrical arbor mounted in said bearing for rotation, a mainspring and clockwork mechanism attached to said arbor for controlling said rotation, a spirally grooved disc carried by said arbor above said body portion and rotating therewith, a collar mounted on said body portion and partially enclosing said disc, a cover plate for said collar, a cylindrical tube supported by said collar and extending downward into said cylindrical arbor, a spring projected firing pin mounted in said cylindrical tube, a second cover plate spaced from said first mentioned cover plate and directly above said first mentioned cover plate, a firing pin contacting lever pivotally mounted between said plates for swinging movement in a horizontal plane, a second lever pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane, a projection on said lever engaging the end of said firing pin contacting lever to prevent the swinging motion of said firing pin contacting lever, a finger on the end farthest from the projection engaging-the spirallygrooved disc, the upward pressure from the spring on the firing pin being transmitted to the firing pin contacting lever and through the projection to the second lever, the force of the spring tending to disengage the levers.

2. A time fuse detonating mechanism comprising a cylindrical body portion having a restricted upper annular flange, a bearing mounted in said flange, a hollow cylindrical arbor mounted in said bearing for rotation, a mainspring and clockwork mechanism attached to said arbor for controlling said rotation, a spirally grooved disc carried by said arbor above said body portion and rotating therewith, a collar mounted on said body portion and partially enclosing said disc, a pin mounted for rotation in said collar,

'said pin being slotted to receive and support a pivoted arm, said arm being provided at one end with a stop pin and at the other with a pin operating in said spirally grooved disc, the arm being adapted to be positioned above said spirally grooved disc and to move outward relative to said disc upon the rotation of said disc, a cover plate for said collar, a second cover plate spaced from and carried above said first mentioned cover plate, a lever pivoted between said cover plates, one end of said lever engaging the stop pin of said arm, a spring projected firing pin housed partially within said cylindrical arbor and engaging the other end of said lever whereby the movement of said arm across the face of said spirally grooved disc will terminate in a pivoting of-said arm to remove said stop pin from engagement with said lever, to permit the lever to pivot and release said firing pin.

MILLARD R. THOMSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,288,797 Asbury Dec. 24, 1918 1,362,519 Wilck Dec. 14, 1920 2,485,949 Wilson et al Oct. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 287,206 Germany Sept. 15, 1915 243,619 Switzerland Jan. 16, 1947 

